Former NFL Head Coach Wade Phillips Addresses Mean Green

Phillips's Speech Headlines 2014 Champions Day

DENTON – What does it mean to be a champion? What does it take to be a champion? The North Texas football team enjoyed a break from its rigorous fall camp schedule Thursday to listen to legendary football coach Wade Phillips deliver a speech as a part of the annual Mean Green Champions Day.

For the last four seasons, North Texas head coach Dan McCarney has taken one day during fall camp to rest the team and bring in a motivational speaker. In addition to Phillips, over the past four years the team has listened to inspirational talks from Drew Pearson, Sean Payton and Joe Greene, all of whom speak to the theme of Champions Day.

Phillips brought a message of playing with a purpose. Play for someone other than yourself that can appreciate your journey and share in your success. The 14-year NFL head coach talked about the sacrifice that was necessary from every member of the team to accomplish a common goal.

Champions Day was the first day since the team reported on Aug. 3 that the Mean Green didn't hit the practice field. With 22 practices in the books, North Texas will resume regular workouts Friday and Saturday before officially breaking camp and transitioning into Texas game week on Monday.

North Texas opens the season in Austin vs. the Longhorns next Saturday, Aug. 30, and will open at home against SMU on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 11 a.m.